The two poets reach the bridge over the fifth bolgia. They've
been talking on their way here but Dante the poet does not wish to add the subject
matter of their conversation to the "Divine Comedy". From the
bridge the pilgrim can hear sounds of lamentations and notices that the bolgia
is dark with tar. He compares the hot tar of this bolgia to the one found in the
Venetian Shipyards where it is kept hot all winter and used to strengthen ships.
He describes the activity at the shipyard.

The tar in the bolgia, covers the
bank with residue, and rising from its surface are air bubbles. Suddenly Virgil
draws him away with a shouted warning. Turning back the pilgrim sees a black devil
chasing them. The devil is bearing a sinner across his shoulders and he (devil)
has a frightening face and wings on his back. Instead of hands the devil bears
claws. He deposits the sinner ("one of Santa Zita's edlers") with
the other devils (Malekranche) with instructions to put him in the hot tar. He
adds that he will be back with more sinners from the city (Lucca). He says the
city is full of grafters except for a man named Bonturo. He adds that in that
city (Lucca) money can be used to bribe and thus open all doors. After flinging
the sinner in the tar he leaves hurriedly to get more sinners. When the sinner
floats to the surface the other devils mock him and threaten him with their grappling
hooks. The push him deep with their hooks. Dante compares this action to that
of scullery boys who push the meat into the gravy with their forks.

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Virgil and the pilgrim hide behind rocks to avoid being seen by the devils. Virgil
advises him not to be afraid of the devils and their words for Virgil knows how
to handle this situation, having encountered it before. Virgil, alone, crosses
over to the sixth bank. On seeing him the devils chase him like dogs chase a tramp.
They block his (Virgil's) path with their pitchforks. Virgil asks for a parley
with one of them. They send Malacoda to him. Virgil tells Malacoda about the special
nature of their (Virgil and Dante's) journey. On hearing that Virgil and Dante
travel under God's protection the devils abstain from their intended attack. Virgil
calls Dante out from hiding and Dante joins his guide, still afraid of being attacked.
He compares his fears to that felt by soldiers who leave the Caprona Castle. Even
though a truce was declared these soldiers were frightened to be passing through
their enemy. Dante stands close to his guide. The devils are about to attack him
but are stopped by Malacoda.

Malacoda informs them that the bridges across
the sixth bolgia are broken and unpassable. But there is another bridge further
on. He adds that in 5 hours time it will be

1266 years and a day since these
bridges fell. He says he is sending some of his devils there to take a look at
the sinners and ensure they stay in the tar. He asks the poets to accompany these
devils and assures them that his devils will not attack them. He assigns Barbariccia
as the captain of the squad consisting of Alichino, Calcabrina, Cagnazzo, Libicocco,
Draghignazzo, Ciriatto, Graffiancane, Earfarello and Rubicante. He tells them
to take a look at the tar and ensure that the two poets reach the bridge safely.

Dante is unhappy with this turn of events. He pleads with Virgil to go on
without any escort. He says that he doesn't trust the devils and believes that
they mean the two poets harm. Virgil says that the devil's anger is directed at
the sinners and Dante need have no fear. Before leaving the devils give their
captain a salute by blowing air through their mouths and their backsides. Then
they turn left to continue their journey accompanied by the two poets.

Notes

Dante introduces the Canto by comparing the fifth bolgia with a Venetian
shipyard. The shipyard at Venice was constructed in the year1104 and during Dante's
time it was the most renowned one in Europe. The comparison serves a purpose--it
introduces an image of activity and bustling in a shipyard where dark pitch is
used. A similar kind of pitch covers the fifth Bolgia. The energy and action associated
with a shipyard is meant to prepare the readers for the tension and drama that
occur in this Canto. For the guardians of this bolgia are devils called the "Malebranche".
Translated the word means "evil claws". And true to their
names these devils have claws instead of hands.

The devils suggest danger
and this is amply proved when Virgil draws the pilgrim hastily away and hides
him from detection. One of the devils comes bearing a sinner around his shoulders
whom he refers to as "One of Santa Zita's elders". Santa Zita
was the patron saint of the city of Lucca. And by "elders" the
devil means one of the city's government officials. His words reveal that the
sinner is a crook and that Lucca is full of many like him. The devil says that
all these government officials are grafters except "Bonturo". This
reference to Bonturo is made in a mocking tone. For Bonturo Bati was the most
corrupt of them all. Thus the sinners being punished in this bolgia are "grafters".
Grafters are corrupt public officials. They make profit by corrupt means taking
advantage of their government / public positions. The devil's statement "You
can change a 'no' to a 'yes' for cash in Lucca" means that the city's public
officials can be bribed to agree to anything (e.g.) granting permission, licenses
etc.

The devil throws the grifter in the hot pitch and when the sinner tries
to surface the other devils ensure (with their grappling hooks) that he stays
submerged. This is the punishment meted out to the grafters in Hell. They boil
for eternity in hot tar, unable to escape. Coming up for respite on the surface
means being attacked by the fearsome devils and their hooks. There is no escape
for these men who defiled the trust placed in them by the public and demeaned
the sanctity of their offices by taking bribes and cheating.

When the sinner
floats on the surface, with his arms outstretched the devils mock him by saying.
"You shouldn't imitate the Holy Face!" This reference can be explained
by the fact that "Holy Face" was the name of a wooden crucifix in Lucca.
Another remark addressed to the sinner is that "The swimming's different
here from in the Serchio!" Serchio is a river near Lucca and people swam
in it for pleasure. But the souls in the pitch are in the hot viscous fluid for
punishment. The crucifixion image (floating on the back, with arms outstretched)
used in connection with swimming for pleasure (as in Serchio, where people often
floated on their backs) is an example of the grotesque humor that is the characteristic
of this Canto. She same grim humor is revealed when Dante compares the devils
with scullery boys trying to keep the meat (here, the sinners) down in the hot
gravy. It is obvious that the devils take a wicked pleasure in tormenting the
sinners.

Virgil, no doubt from previous experience, is cautious in dealing
with the Malebranche. Therefore he advises the pilgrim to stay hidden while he
goes alone to approach the Malebranche. The events that soon follow show the wisdom
of his caution. As soon as they see him the devils set upon him with the same
vicious excitement exhibited by dogs that surround a helpless tramp. Virgil knows
that to lose his cod will do no good. So he shows a cod front and boldly asks
to speak to their leader before they attack him. His words "then decide
if you still care to grapple" contain a hidden warning: what he has to
say will prove to them that it is unwise to attack him.

Malacoda, the captain
of the Malebranche steps forward. Virgil addresses him calmly, in a tone of cool
reason. He says a journey such as this would have been impossibly difficult without
God's consent The words act like magic and Malacoda tells his fellow devils to
keep their hands off Virgil. It is clear that God's name is as potent before these
wild devils as anywhere else in Hell. They submit before the will of God. Reassured,
Virgil asks the pilgrim to come out from his hiding place. The pilgrim does so,
but he is not as assured as Virgil of the devil's submission. He notices their
instinctive move towards him and compares the fear he experiences to the one experienced
by soldiers during the siege of Caprana, a fortress on the Arno River near Pisa.
Gruelfs soldiers from Lucca and Florence attacked Caprona. The Pisan soldiers
surrendered and this resulted in a truce. Under the condition of this truce the
Pisan soldiers came out of the fortress and passed through the ranks of the enemy
soldiers. Despite the truce their fear was great and visible. Dante's mistrust
is proved correct when one of the devils, Scarmiglione, cheered by others is about
to attack him. Only a warning word from Malacoda stops Dante from the bloodthirsty
devil.

Malacoda tells Virgil that the next bridge is broken and so they'll
have to travel further to another bridge. He adds that the ruined bridge fall
about 1266 years ago. He adds that in five more hours it'll be 1266 years and
a day since the bridge crumpled. Christ's death on Good Friday (A.D. 34) would
in 5 hours according to Malacoda) have occurred in 1266 years ago yesterday -
"today" being the morning of Holy Saturday, 1300. The earthquake that
occurred after Christís crucifixion shattered the bridge.

Malacoda says he
will send some of the devils with the two travelers to the next bridge. The devilsí
duty will be to keep an eye on any sinner who surfaces on the pitch. He assures
the poets that the devils will not harm them. He assigning some of his devils
and makes Barbaricca the captain of this squad. He repeats again that the devils
are to inspect the tar and reiterates that the poets can safely cross the next
bridge. Despite his promises the pilgrim is uneasy. He clearly does not trust
this evil bunch and begs his guide that they move off without this infernal escort.
He points out to devils who are grinding their teeth and winking at one another
and tells Virgil that the devils clearly mean them some harm. He is surprised
that the usually observant and perceptive Virgil suspects nothing. Virgil's reply
confirms his lack of suspicion. He tells his ward that the devil's mischief is
aimed at the sinners.

Before they set off on their journey the devils give
their captain Malacoda a double salute. They make a "farting" noise
from their mouth and blow from their "ass-hole". Thus the Canto ends
on a vulgar but a comical note. This underlines the quintessentially farcical
nature of this Bolgia, so different from the rest of the "Inferno".